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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

7 Reasons why Nguyen Khang Hotel is a godsend to backpackers

I love staying in hotels and classy inns that have affordable rates to them. Who doesn't, right? So, speaking of --- Rubel and I found a gem for our 5-night stay in Ho Chi Minh City, and the hotel was called Nguyen Khang Hotel. After reading so many good online reviews of the lodging, I was immediately smitten by the idea of booking with them right away. But what made me decide to finally book them? Here's 7 good reasons.

1) LOCATION - Nguyen Khang is situated at a small alley in Phạm Ngũ Lão, a street that was made famous for being a backpackers haven. The location was quite perfect since we were near some of Saigon's famous spots: 10 minutes away from Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square, a street away from Bùi Viện (famous for its night life and cheap beers), and a few walks away from several mini-marts and food establishments.

2) HOTEL RATE - I thought I read it wrong when I saw that the room that we wanted was priced at $20 only. The rate was very affordable considering the great location that we were already in.

3) ROOM AMENITIES - The hotel was a small establishment that had several floors. And a long staircase will be the only means of transport when going to and fro your room.

The room that we got was very spacious and looked really neat. Other than that, we were also provided the following:

- Big window with curtains and a nice view of the city

- 2 Twin-size beds with soft pillows, blanket and comforter

- Bathroom with hot & cold shower and toilet with bidet

- AC unit and wall-fan

- CABLE TV

- Free WIFI

- Wooden cabinet

- Small refrigerator

- Desk

- Chair

- Bedside table

- Telephone with international direct dial

- Room slippers

- Laundry basket

We also had our own private bathroom, which had earth-toned wall tiles that were quite soothing to the eyes. The bathroom fixtures, especially the sink, toilet and shower looked new and well-maintained. We were also provided with each a toothbrush, toothpaste and fresh towels.

4) COURTEOUS HOTEL STAFF - I loved Nguyen Khang's Receptionists: Ms. Thu and Mr. Chi. I may have forgotten to take pictures with both of them, which I regret. But I'll always remember how they would warmly greet us and how they would always attend to our needs (like telling us how to go from one place to another).

Stolen shot of Mr. Chi behind the reception desk. :)

5) HOTEL AMENITIES - Other than having CCTV camera's installed all over the hotel, Nguyen Khang also offers two desktop computers with printer, which you can use for free. These can be accessed at the reception area. Rubel actually used one of the units while waiting for our tour guide. The net connection was quite fast by the way.

The hotel also a TV mounted on the wall, which you can watch from while sitting on their soft cushioned sofa's. And should you find yourself thirsty, the hotel also sells cold refreshments at the lobby. Other than that, Nguyen Khang also provides a shoe rack (placed by the stairs) where you can leave your footwear. Walking barefoot is advised when roaming the premises of the hotel (customary). But if you're not comfy about leaving your shoes or slippers, then you can always carry these up to your room.

6) COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST - Our breakfast was always the same. But was still very delicious. There were other choices. But we would always pick the Bagel with strawberry jam, butter and banana fruit. A glass of pineapple juice and coffee were also served to us every morning (Vietnam's coffee is the best tasting by far!).

7) FAST RESPONSE - I loved the fact that when I first emailed Nguyen Khang Hotel, they responded to me on the same day. My exchange of emails to both Ms. Thu and Mr. Chi were quite smooth, so this made me more comfortable to book our stay there. They were courteous enough to answer every bit of inquiry that I did (which was plenty), and was able to provide airport transfers for us all throughout our stay. That's world class service to me!

How about you? Have you tried Nguyen Khang Hotel? Hit me up! As I would love to hear your experience there. :)

That's why I got confused with the church you were referring to. The building behind me is actually the market itself, Ben Thanh Market. That's where we usually eat but not shop. We find the goods in Saigon Square much cheaper than in Ben Thanh. :)

That's the beauty of traveling.. you never could go wrong when it comes to enjoying things around. But for me, I like places that are near the city center and of course restaurants and other famous spots that are worth visiting. But then again, distance may also mean another set of thrill and adventure. Vietnam is surely a place to go.

the view from the outside, makes me feel home in QC in a peaceful environment :) burburry-sque bed sheet is a plus hihihi. seriously, i'm always looking forward for hotel stays even in the city... especially when i just really want to be alone and undisturbed... and breakfast is always awesome...

I have found rooms for much cheaper but $20 a night is not bad considering it's a private room for 2 since most rooms I get are dorm rooms that's why they are cheaper haha. I'll consider staying here when I get the chance to visit HCMC.-Wanderer Juan